Ib: Finders Keepers
by Lady Klawla
Summary: In the final events of their escape, Garry wakes up to find himself alone and Ib has another companion...


Blue eyes opened, bleary and unfocused. Groaning the figure sat up, wincing at the sharp pain that went through his head. Blinking to clear his vision and gingerly feeling through his unruly lavender hair. A cool, sticky feeling was upon his hand and pulling it away, blood was dripping from between his fingers.  
Whispers and small giggles reached the man's ears, but only darkness greeted him.

Where was he?

Looking up, Garry found himself lying on dark colored carpet, the sickly sweet smell of over powering roses and iron filled his nose. Paintings were scattered around, hanging crookedly on their perches while color leaked over the frames, staining the walls.  
Memories flooded into his mind and he gasped loudly, diving back down on the carpet to retrieve the precious blue rose that was near him, clutching the fragile flower to his chest before backing up until the wall met with him. "W-Why am I still here?"

All he could remember was holding tightly to a smaller hand.  
To someone important.  
He had just let go for a moment to go and check the next corridor when it all suddenly went black.  
he had been trying to escape with Ib-  
Ib!

Garry jumped to his feet and began calling for his smaller companion, fear rising within his chest at the thought of the young girl lost and alone in this horrible labyrinth. "Ib where are you?!"

There was a small pause before the girl's voice rang out through the air, answering him. "Garry! Garry come over here."

He almost cried out in relief when he heard her. "Ib which way are-"

"Come and look at this one Garry."

Puzzled, he took a step towards the dark hallway. "Wait, what do you mean-" Another voice cut him off, familiar yet having a bit of a darker tone.  
"Alright alright I'm coming, slow down now." The voice laughed, growing closer and closer.

Turning to glance over his shoulder, the man saw that the source of the voices were coming from a large painting, framed with gold and heavily decorated.

A young girl stood in the picture. Long brown hair cupped her youthful face, eyes bright and a smile on her face. Just as he remembered it. What he saw next to her made a chill go down his spine, freezing him in place.  
Behind Ib stood himself.  
same clothes, same hair, same smile.  
It was as if he was looking into a mirror.

"See? This one looks just like you."

"I suppose it does doesn't it?"

"It's really pretty." Ib chirped happily. Her memory was faded and if she could remember everything that happened within the abyss she would have been alarmed to see such a painting.

"A beautiful painting indeed, though, it pales in comparison to the real thing right?" came the smooth reply.

Gary felt cold, his words stuck in his throat as this…this imposter stared straight at him, seeing him through the barrier that kept the two worlds apart. The man recognized the tone of voice the other had, the slited eye, and slightly noticeable darker expression. A memory came to mind, fuzzy and unfocused but still there.  
Black hands emerging from the walls, grabbing at his arms, his weaker body shoved down onto the ground, his voice cracking, shrill while it echoed off the walls.

Then the screams of Mary burning, loud enough to male glass shatter as the little blonde girl crumbled to nothing more than a pile of ash.

After that he had been separated from his little companion, and in his rush to find her, Garry did not notice the one who was following in his shadow until it was too late and everything went black after the sharp pain shot through his head.  
Now he realized what had happened.  
It had been HIM.

The one who wore his own face, in his anger had come up behind the original of the two and stck the back of his head with the leg of a broken stool. Once Garry was out of the way, the other had taken his place at Ib's side…and escaped.

They had left him.

"Come on Ib let's go to the next one."

"Ah, alright."

"Hold my hand ok? There's a new exhibit that they are opening so I don't want you running off and getting swept away."

"Ok!"

The imposter took hold of the smaller, delicate hand, lacing his fingers with the girls. "I always knew you were such a good girl Ib, so stick close." He said, giving her the perfect smile.  
A smile that didn't belong to him.

"Wait…W-Wait Ib…" Garry whispered, taking a step closer to the framed painting of the other world. "Ib…that…Ib! That isn't me!" The man closed the distance between them, grabbing onto the golden frame, digging his nails into the décor. "Don't go! He's a fake! A FAKE!" He yelled into the picture. "Listen to me and get away from him! IB! he's not real! He's not me!" His screams of distress echoed but went unheard by the girl he was so desperate to reach. So desperate that he didn't feel the hot tears cascading down his face.  
Through his blurry vision he saw the fake turn, glancing back at the painting over his shoulder. A wide smirk curled up at the corners of his mouth as he himself could hear the pleas coming from the other world.

'Finders Keepers' He whispered before continuing on, leading the precious girl farther away.

Garry slid to his knees.  
How could she not see that the man whom she blessed with her smiles was not him? Shaking while still gripping onto the frame, the man hung his head. "I-Ib…please don't…don't leave me here." His voice croaked, sore from screaming to his friend. He began to openly weep, not caring who or what saw him.

Crying for his lost friend and for the eternal nightmare he was forever trapped in.

Alone.


End file.
